Analog Synthesizer: C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

ANALOG SYNTHESIZER
CM
MY
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CMY
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Content
Content
Foreword .............................................................................................................................4 Basic Operation ........................................................................................................14
The Pulse 2 Development Team ...................................... 5 Switching on/ off ............................................................ 14
We would like to thank ................................................... 5 The Volume ................................................................... 14
Selecting Sounds ............................................................ 14
Control Features and Connections .........................................................6
Editing Parameters ......................................................... 15
Front Panel ...................................................................... 6
Editing Parameter Controls ............................................. 15
Connections .................................................................... 7
Storing Sounds ............................................................... 16
Introduction......................................................................................................................8
Sound Parameter .....................................................................................................18
About this Manual ........................................................... 8
Overview of Functions ................................................... 18
Symbols .......................................................................... 8
The Oscillator Section (OSC 1-3) ................................... 19
Highlighted Control Features and Parameters .................. 8
The LFO Section ............................................................ 24
General Safety Guidelines ............................................... 9
The Envelope Section (ENV F and ENV A) ..................... 26
Suitable Operating Conditions ....................................... 9
The Arpeggiator Section (ARP) ....................................... 28
Power Supply .................................................................. 9
The Filter Section (VCF) ................................................. 34
Operation ....................................................................... 9
The Amplifier Section (VCA) .......................................... 36
Maintenance ................................................................. 10
The Modulation Matrix Menu (Mod) .............................. 38
Proper Use .................................................................... 10
The Sound Menu ........................................................... 39
Setup and Connection ........................................................................................11
Additional Settings.........................................................................................40
Inventory ....................................................................... 11
The Global Menu .......................................................... 40
Setup ............................................................................. 11
The Utility Menu ........................................................... 45
Connection ................................................................... 11
The USB Connection ..................................................... 13
Pulse 2 User Manual 2

Content
Sound Synthesis Basics...................................................................................47

Oscillators Introduction ................................................. 47
Filter Introduction .......................................................... 52
Appendix ..........................................................................................................................54
Updating the Firmware .................................................. 54
Sending & Receiving System Exclusive Data .................. 55
Modulation Sources....................................................... 56
Modulation Targets........................................................ 57
Tips & Tricks ................................................................. 58
Technical Data .............................................................. 60
MIDI Controller Numbers .............................................. 61
Glossary ........................................................................ 64
Declaration of Conformity ............................................. 69
Product Warranty & Support.......................................... 72
3 Pulse 2 User Manual

Foreword
Foreword
Thank you for purchasing the Waldorf Pulse 2 Synthesizer.
You now own a compact analog synthesizer with an asto-
nishing sound. And of course, a very exceptional feature set
as for example the paraphonic modes and the APW wave-
form. If you do decide to read the following quick start ma-
nual we can promise you a lot of fun while reading it and
especially afterwards working with the Pulse 2.
Your Waldorf-team
Hint
Waldorf Music is not liable for any erroneous information
contained in this manual. The contents of this manual may
be updated at any time without prior notice. We made every
effort to ensure the information herein is accurate and that
the manual contains no contradictory information. Waldorf
Music extends no liabilities in regard to this manual other
than those required by local law.
This manual or any portion of it may not be reproduced in
any form without the manufacturer's written consent.
Waldorf Music GmbH, Landskroner Straße 52, D-53474 Bad
Neuenahr, Germany

Foreword
The Pulse 2 Development Team We would like to thank

Christian Bacaj, Willie Eckl, Joachim Flor, Michael von Gar-
Hardware: Frédéric Meslin, Frank Schneider,
nier, Karsten Dubsch, Kurt "Lu" Wangard, 吴海彬, and not to
Stefan Stenzel
forget, the Sound programmers: Jürgen Driessen, Christian
Software: Stefan Stenzel, Frédéric Meslin Gritzner, Till Kopper, Dirk Krause, Rob Lee, Dr. Ingo Weid-
ner.
Design: Axel Hartmann
Manual: Holger Steinbrink
Revision: 1.0, September 2013
w Please visit our website pulse2.waldorfmusic.de. Here

you will find the latest firmware version as well as
other downloads for the Pulse 2.

Control Features and Connections

Front Panel
a Display
b Selection Buttons
c Selection Dial
d Volume Dial
e MIDI Input Indicator
f Parameter Matrix
g Parameter Matrix Buttons
h Shift Button
i Parameter Matrix Dials

Connections
A Stereo headphone jack 6 MIDI In jack

B Audio line output left/right (only right: mono) 7 Locking slot
C Audio line mono input 8 USB port
4 CV/Gate outputs 9 Power switch
5 MIDI Out jack J Power supply socket

Introduction
Introduction Highlighted Control Features and Parameters

All of the Pulse 2 buttons, controls and parameters are
About this Manual highlighted in bold letters throughout the manual.
This manual was written to help you become familiar Example:

with the Pulse 2 synthesizer. It will also aid experienced • Press the VCF button at the Parameter matrix.
users with routine tasks.
• Move the Cutoff knob.
To avoid confusion, the terminology in this manual is
based on the Pulse 2 parameter names. You will find a The Pulse 2 different modes and parameter pages are
glossary at the end of this manual; it explains the various illustrated in a depiction of the display.
terms used.
Important terms are highlighted in bold letters.
Symbols
m Caution – The comments that follow this symbol
will help you avoiding errors and malfunctions.
w Info – Additional information on a given topic.
+ Instruction – Follow these guidelines to execute a

desired function.
[ Example – Real-world examples to try out.

Introduction
General Safety Guidelines Power Supply

m Please read the following safety tips carefully! • Never use a different power cable than the one that
They include several precautions you should al- came with the Pulse 2.
ways observe when dealing with electronic • Unplug the device when you are not using it for
equipment. Read all of the instructions before longer periods.
operating your device
• Never touch the plug with wet hands.
Suitable Operating Conditions • Always pull the plug when unplugging the device,
• Use the device indoors only. Outside it could be never the cable.
rainy or humid as well as too hot or too cold.
Operation
• Never use the device under damp conditions such
as in bathrooms, washrooms or around indoor • This device, used on its own or with amplifiers,
swimming pools. speakers or headphones, can generate volume levels
that may result in irreparable damage to your hea-
• Do not use the device in extremely dusty or dirty ring and/or speakers and amplifiers. For this reason
environments in order maintain the surface fi- you should always keep the volume at appropriate
nishing of the Pulse 2. levels.
• Make sure that adequate ventilation is available on • Never place objects containing liquids on or near
all sides of the device. Do not place the device ne- the device.
ar heat sources such as radiators.
• Always place the device on a stable base only.
• Do not expose the device to direct sunlight, even if
you have a suitable sunscreen. • Make sure no foreign objects find their way into the
chassis. If for some reason this should occur, switch
• Do not expose the device to extreme vibrations.

Introduction
the power off, unplug the device and consult a qua-

lified repair center.
Maintenance
• Do not open the device or remove the cover. Refer
all service and repair tasks to qualified personnel.
There are no user serviceable parts inside the chas-
sis.
• Use only a dry, soft cloth or brush to clean the de-
vice. Never use alcohol, cleaning solutions or simi-
lar chemicals. They will damage the surface of the
chassis.
Proper Use
This device is designed exclusively to produce low-
frequency audio signals for the purpose of generating
sound. Any other use is prohibited and voids the war-
ranty extended by Waldorf Music. Waldorf Music is not
liable for damages due to incorrect use.
m Do not leave your Pulse 2 near children, mothers-

in-law or pets. This could lead to critical interac-
tions.

Setup and Connection
Last but not least you will mostly likely need a MIDI
Setup and Connection master keyboard.
You can also use a computer or hardware sequencer to
Inventory make use of the Pulse 2 MIDI features.
The Waldorf Pulse 2 package comes complete with:
+ To connect the devices:
• the Waldorf Pulse 2 Synthesizer
1. Turn all units off.
• an external power supply with 12V / 500mA
2. Connect the Pulse 2 audio output 2 to your
• a printed Quick Start manual mixing console or your computer audio inter-
Please ensure all the items above were included. If face. Optionally connect a suited stereo
something is missing, contact your local dealer. headphone to the Pulse 2´s headphone output
1. If you want to use a mono output only,
We recommend that you save the original packing ma- connect only the Stereo Out Right/Mono out-
terial for future transport. put only with a ¼ inch mono plug.
3. To play the Pulse 2 you need a MIDI master
Setup keyboard. Connect its MIDI Out jack to the
Place the Pulse 2 on a clean, even surface. Pulse 2´s MIDI input 6.
4. If you want to use a computer with a MIDI in-
Connections terface, connect your interface´s MIDI Out jack
to the Pulse 2 MIDI In jack 6.
In order to get started with your Pulse 2 you will need
an AC power outlet. For the connection of the audio 5. Optionally you can connect the Pulse 2 USB
output you will need either a mixing console or an port 8 with a USB cable to your computer. Af-
audio interface. You can also use a suited headphone.

Setup and Connection
ter that the Pulse 2 is automatically available as w If you do not choose to connect a mixing conso-
a MIDI unit. le, you can patch the Pulse 2 output signals 2 di-
6. Connect the power supply cable or the power rectly to an amp or to an audio interface. Use an
cable that came with the Pulse 2 with the Pow- input usually called Line, Aux or Tape input.
er supply J jack.
m Before connecting and disconnecting the Pulse 2
7. If you want to use the external audio input, to a power supply source, turn your amp’s volume
please connect it 3 to a line output of your si- control all the way down to avoid damage due to
gnal source or a guitar or microphone. on/off switching noise. The Pulse 2 produces a
8. If you want to control other devices via high level output signal. Please take care that the
CV/Gate, please connect them to the CV/Gate connected playback device is suitable for the high
outputs 4 of the Pulse 2. level of an electronic instrument. Never use the
mic or phono input of the connected amp!
9. Then switch on the computer (if connected),
your Pulse 2, the mixing console and finally
the amplifier or active monitor speakers.
w To check the correct reception of MIDI data send

any MIDI event to the Pulse 2; the MIDI / USB
LED e will light up on any incoming MIDI mes-
sage. If this is not the case please check the MIDI
connection to the Pulse 2 as well as the Global
MIDI configuration.

The USB Connection w Keep also in mind that we often offer new firm-
Using a USB cable you can connect the Pulse 2 to your ware updates. Please read also the chapter "Up-
computer observing the following system requirements: dating the Firmware".
• Windows PC: Windows XP or newer is recom-

mended, a USB port
• Linux PC, a USB port
• Apple: Intel Mac with Mac OS X 10.5 or newer, a
USB port
• Apple iPad with iPad Camera Connection Kit
The USB connection of the Pulse 2 allows:
• transmitting and receiving MIDI data
• dumping of firmware updates to the Pulse 2
• Sounds / Global parameters backup and recall
with suitable computer software.
w Make sure to use a computer USB port as well as

a USB cable to avoid problems with data trans-
mission.

Basic Operation
ber, turning the dial counterclockwise or pressing the

Basic Operation left button decreases it. When you are at the end of the
last sound program and turn the Selection dial further,
Switching on / off you will jump to sound program 001 again.
The Pulse 2 is equipped with a Power switch 8. Flick

it to switch on the Pulse 2. The display a is lit and
shows the installed firmware version. After that, the
Pulse 2 is ready for some action. Flick the Power
switch again to switch off the Pulse 2.
m Don´t forget to save an edited sound program,

before switching off the Pulse 2. Otherwise, your
edits are lost forever.
w Everytime you select sound program 500, the
The Volume Pulse 2 will automatically create a random sound
patch.
The Volume dial d controls the Pulse 2 master volu-
me. The volume setting is global and affects the level of
the audio outputs 2 and the headphone output 1.
w If you turn the Selection dial b while pressing
the Shift button, you can select a desired sound
category (class), e.g. ARP or POLY. This is perfect
Selecting Sounds for a faster selection of sounds. To select all
sounds without limitation, you need to set Class
The Pulse 2 offers 500 sound programs. Use the
to ALL.
Selection dial b or the Selection buttons c to
select these sounds. Turning the dial clockwise or pres-
sing the right button increases the sound program num-

Basic Operation
Editing Parameters example you will understand the structure of the Pulse 2
handling easily.
In order to change or edit a sound in the Pulse 2, you
must access the appropriate parameters. In spite of the Would you like to change the Cutoff of the Pulse filter?
Pulse 2 compactness it uses a sophisticated user inter- Please proceed as follows:
face allowing fast editing of any parameter. The change
of any value is done with the dials in the Parameter + To access a specific panel parameter:
matrix i. 1. Locate the section that contains the desired
The dials control all parameter values. Turning a dial parameter on the front panel. For example, if
clockwise increases the corresponding value; turning it you want to change Cutoff, refer to the VCF
counterclockwise decreases it. The dials have a built-in section. To do this please press the VCF Pa-
dynamic response feature. If you turn the control slowly, rameter Matrix button until the LED lights
the value changes very smoothly, too. If you turn it up.
faster, it accelerates as well. This gives you the chance 2. With the first endless dial you can now chan-
of adjusting the whole value range in just one turn ge Cutoff parameter.
without losing accurate control when necessary.
3. Whenever you change a parameter by mo-
Editing Parameter Controls ving a dial, the display shows the edited pa-
rameter and its current value.
The basic sound programming of the Pulse 2 is done via
the so-called Parameter Matrix f which has all im- w Keep in mind that based on the selected Oscilla-
portant parameters silkscreened on the machine´s front tor Shape some parameters are not accessible.
panel. Changing the parameters is done with the six This will be remarked in the further sections of
endless Parameter Matrix dials i. Changing the edit this manual.
level is done with the five Parameter Matrix buttons
g. This sounds more complex than it is. With a simple

Basic Operation
Storing Sounds to 14 characters. Use the Selection dial to

change the setting of the first character. Use
After you have finished editing a sound, you must store the six Parameter Matrix buttons to change
it if you intend to use it again. Any of the Pulse 2 memo- the next six characters. Use the right
ry locations are available for this purpose. Selection button to switch to the next seven
characters. Here you can use the same con-
+ To store a sound program: trols as for the first seven characters.
1. Press the Shift h + Store buttons to activate 4. Now you can select the category class of
the Store page. your sound. It is strongly recommended to
select an appropriate category class for your
sound program. This helps you finding your
sound later. Use the right Selection button
to switch to the class selection. With the
Selection dial you can choose the corres-
ponding class.
5. Finally press Shift + Store to store the sound
to the selected location.
2. Use the Selection dial c to select the desti- 6. By pressing any button before performing the
nation program number. The default value is step 5, you can discard the storing process at
the currently selected sound but you may any time
want to store your edits in a different lo-
cation. m Whenever you store a sound, the selected memo-
3. Edit the sound name (if wished). First press ry location is overwritten. Therefore, any pre-
the right Selection button to navigate to the viously stored sound at this location will be era-
naming function. A sound name can use up sed and there is no way to get it back. So, you

should do backups of the sounds regularly. If you
want to restore the factory presets, you can
download them as a Standard MIDI File from our
website.
w Use the Store function also if you want to copy

sounds. There is no need to edit a sound before
storing it. When receiving individual sounds
through sysex transfer, they must be store ma-
nually in the Pulse 2.

Sound Parameter
Modulators: The Modulators are designed to mani-

Sound Parameter •
pulate or modulate the sound generating compo-
nents to add dynamics to the sound. The Low-
Overview of Functions frequency Oscillators (LFO) are designed for pe-
riodic or recurring modulations while the Envelopes
The Waldorf Pulse 2 consists of numerous sound-
are normally used for modulations that occur once.
shaping components
w Is the Pulse 2 your first synthesizer? Are you curi-

ous about sound synthesis? If so, we recommend
to read the chapter "Sound Synthesis Basics" in
this manual.
You should know that the Pulse 2 consists of two diffe-
rent types of components for sound generation and
sound shaping:
• Sound Synthesis: Oscillators, Filter, Amplifier with
saturation: These modules represent the audio signal
flow. Sound generation actually occurs within the
Oscillators and and the Noise generator. These pro-
duce various waves as for example square and
sawtooth. The Filter then shapes the sound by ampli-
fying (boosting) or attenuating (dampening) certain
frequencies. The Amplifier is located at the end of
the signal chain. It sets the overall volume of the si-
gnal and can add some saturation.

Sound Parameter
The Oscillator Section (OSC 1-3) Shape diverse

Sets the type of waveform to be generated by the Oscil-
lator.
w Keep in mind: Some shapes are not available for

The Pulse 2 offers three oscillators that nearly use similar all of the three oscillators.
parameters for editing. The following shapes are currently available:
All controls of the oscillators can be found in the OSC • PWM (only OSC 1 and OSC 2) selects the pulse
parameter matrix. waveform. This waveform produces a hollow / me-
tallic sound. If the PWM waveform is selected, the
+ Selecting an Oscillator parameter Pulsewidth is used to change the pul-
Choose the desired oscillator with the button. The LED sewidth of the waveform.
of the corresponding Oscillator will light up. • SQR (only OSC 3) selects a square wave with a fix
pulsewidth of 50%.
w A detailled introduction of the oscillators can be
found in the chapter "Sound Synthesis Basics". • SAW selects the sawtooth waveform. A Sawtooth
wave has all the harmonics of the fundamental
w Keep in mind that based on the selected Oscilla- frequency in descending magnitude.
tor Shape some parameters are not accessible.
This will be remarked in the further sections! • TRI selects the triangular waveform. The triangle
mainly consists of the odd harmonics with very
low magnitudes and sounds close to a sine wave.
• APW (only OSC 1) means "Alternate Pulse Wave".
The positive effect is that you get PWM like sounds

Sound Parameter
but with constant energy, at the cost of having to w Keep in mind: If one of the Unison shapes is
tolerate a subharmonic one octave below. selected, the Keytrack parameter controls the
• UNISON M (only OSC 1) creates an unison in detuning of the poly pulse oscillators.
mono mode by using a cluster of eight pulse oscil-
lators at once. So if you play a single note, all eight w If one of the Unison modes is selected as Shape,
oscillators play this note, slightly detuned to enrich you cannot use OSC 2 and OSC 3. Both oscilla-
the sound. Detuning (UNISON DETUNE) can be tors are not accessible then.
controlled with Keytrack. • Para-8 (only OSC 1) creates a special paraphonic
• UNISON P (only OSC 1) creates an unison in po- mode where all eight PWM oscillators sound with
lyphonic mode by using a cluster of eight pulse frequencies according to the held notes. So if you
oscillators. If you trigger one note only, all eight play a chord with up to eight notes, that chord is
oscillators will be played with the same root pitch. played by the oscillators. In this special case, the
If you trigger eight different notes, every oscillators the Keytrack parameter controls the fading of the
plays its own pitch. Detuning (UNI-DETUNE) can pulsewidth modulation. The rate also depends on
be controlled with the Keytrack parameter. Attack and Release of the amplifier envelope ENV
A.
• UNIAPW M (only OSC 1) creates an unison in
mono mode (same as UNISON M) by using a w Keep in mind: If Para-8 is selected as Shape, you
cluster of eight APW oscillators at once. cannot use OSC 2 and OSC 3. Both oscillators
are not accessible then.
• UNIAPW P (only OSC 1) creates an unison in
polyphonic mode (same as UNISON P) by using a w Keep also in mind: The signal path of the Pulse 2
cluster of eight APW oscillators at once. is mono. All eight voices need to use one VCF
and one VCA.

Sound Parameter
• Para-4 (only OSC 1) ist he same as Para-8. But two w Although Oscillator 1's or 3's square waveshape
oscillators per note are used. This will reduce the is used for crossmodulation, it does not mean that
polyphony to four voices. You can set up pulse- this square waveshape must be used as the
width, pitch and fade individually. source signal. Because the crossmodulation is pu-
rely internal, you can select another waveshape
w Keep in mind: When Para-4 is selected as Shape for Oscillator 1 or 3 if you so desire. Please note
you cannot use OSC 3. This oscillator is not ac- that you can also modulate Oscillator 2's pulse-
cessible then. width at any time. Additionally, you can switch
• X3-PWM (only OSC 2) creates a PWM crossmodu- synchronization on and off independently.
lation. Crossmodulation is a XOR combination of • EXT (only OSC 3) switches off OSC 3 and enables
the waveshapes of OSC 2 and OSC 3 which can the external audio input for routing its signal
be used for creating very complex sounds with un- through the Pulse 2 synthesis path.
harmonic frequency proportions.
• X1-PWM (only OSC 2) creates a PWM crossmo- w Please keep in mind, that an incoming signal can
dulation. Crossmodulation is a XOR combination get to the output section only when the VCA en-
of the waveshapes of OSC 2 and OSC 1 which velope is triggered or the VCA is open. This
can be used for creating very complex sounds with means that the volume envelope ENV A has to
unharmonic frequency proportions. be started by an MIDI note. This can be achieved
by playing on a keyboard or by activating the
built-in arpeggiator.
• FB (only OSC 3) creates a feedback from the drive
output back to the mixer. Depending on the filter
settings this can create interesting resonance ef-
fects that cannot be realized with the regular Re-
sonance parameter.

Sound Parameter
Pulsewidth (only Osc 1 and 2) 0...127 • Level 2 adds the signal of OSC 3 to the control
voltage of the OSC level. Hereby, OSC 3 controls
Sets the pulse width of the PWM/ APW waveform. The the amplitude of OSC 2, the OSC 3 level controls
value 0 is equivalent to a pulse ratio of < 1%, the value the modulation amount.
127 is equivalent to 50%. If you select any waveform
other than PWM, this parameter does not have any • VCF adds the signal of OSC 3 to the control volta-
effect. The following picture illustrates the effect of the ge of the VCF. This enables a frequency modula-
pulsewidth parameter: tion of the filter by OSC 3, which level controls the
modulation amount.
• Drive sends the signal from OSC 3 as modulation
signal into the drive circuitry to modulate the drive
!"#$%&'()*+&,-. !"#$%&'()*+&55. !"#$%&'()*+&6,. !"#$%&'()*+&78.
/01"23%4 /9:;"#$%4
intensity.
[ A pulse width of around 30% can be used for e-

piano or fat bass sounds. Semitone -48...+48
Sets the pitch of the oscillator in semitone steps. The
w Keep in mind that a value of 0 leads for sure to standard setting for this parameter is 0, but there are
an unhearable signal. In that case, please in- cases where different values are interesting as well.
crease the pulsewidth.
[ Lead and Solo sounds might sound interesting
Routing (only OSC 3) Mix / Level 2 / VCF / Drive when you set one Oscillator to e.g. a fourth (+5
semitones).
Sets the routing behaviour of OSC 3:
• Mix is the default setting and sends the signal toge-
ther with OSC 1 and OSC 2 to the regular oscilla-
tor mixer and further to the VCF and VCA.

Sound Parameter
Detune -64...+63 w Keep in mind: When Para-8 or Para-4 is selected

Fine-tunes the oscillator in steps of 1/128th of a semito- as oscillator Shape a setting of Keytrack is not
ne. The audible result of detuned oscillators is a Chorus possible. Instead, this parameter controls the fade
or Flanger effect. Use a positive setting for one oscillator process done by ENV A. This is also valid for
and an equivalent negative setting for another. OSC 2 when Para-4 is selected.
[ A low value of ±1 results in a slow and soft Flanger

effect. Sync (only for OSC 3) OFF / ON
Enables or disables oscillator synchronization. When
[ Mid-ranged settings of ±5 are perfect for pads and
enabled, Oscillator 2 acts as a slave that is controlled by
other fat sounding programs.
Oscillator 3, the master. Each time Oscillator 3 starts a
new cycle, it sends a trigger signal to Oscillator 2, for-
Keytrack (only OSC 1 and 2) ON / OFF cing it to restart its waveform cycle, too. As a result,
Determines how much the pitch of the selected oscilla- interesting sound effects may be generated, especially
tor depends on the MIDI note number. The reference when both oscillators are operating at different pitch
note for Keytrack is E3, note number 64. A setting of ON settings. Using additional pitch modulation by envelo-
corresponds to a 1:1 scale, e.g. when an octave is pes, LFO, or Pitch bend will lend further movement to
played on the keyboard the pitch changes for the same sync sounds. The following picture illustrates the prin-
amount. A setting of OFF don´t change the pitch re- ciple of oscillator synchronization in a simplified way:
gardless of the played MIDI note. -.1%','(.%&3%4)$*.+%&$'#(()*&+
w Keep in mind: If one of the four Unison wave-

forms is selected as oscillator Shape, a setting of
Keytrack is not possible. Instead, this parameter
lets you control the overall detune of the poly !"#$%&$'#(()*&+ $,-'./%*&%*"#$%&$'#(()*&+ +.$0(*$%#-%*"#$%1)2.
oscillators.

Sound Parameter
[ Use Sync for Lead or Solo sounds. Set Oscillator 2 The LFO Section
to play one octave and 7 semitones higher, apply
an envelope to its pitch with positive amount and
you get a screaming sync sound.
[ Sync can also be very interesting on arpeggio
sounds. Apply a slow clocked LFO to Oscillator 2 In addition to the main oscillators, the Pulse 2 is equip-
pitch and the arpeggio starts to move. ped with two low frequency oscillators (LFO) that can
be used for modulation purposes. LFO 1 generates a
periodic waveform with adjustable frequency and
Level 0...127 shape. LFO 2 always creates a triangle wave and offers
an additional delay function.
Controls the volume of the selected Oscillator.
Speed (LFO 1 and LFO 2) 0...127 or 32...1/96
Determines the frequency of LFO 1 and LFO 2. At low
values, it might take several minutes (exactly 4 minutes
and 38 seconds) for the LFO to perform a complete
cycle while higher values can sppe up to 100 Hz.
w If one of the clocked LFO shapes is selected for

LFO 1, you can adjust the Speed in musical va-
lues.
Shape (only LFO1) SINE / TRI / SAW / SQR / S&H

Sets the type of waveform generated by LFO 1:

Sound Parameter
• The Sine shape is best suited for oscillator or pan Delay (only LFO 2) OFF / 0...127
modulations.
Delay delays the start of LFO oscillation after an in-
• The Triangle (TRI) shape is perfect for smooth coming MIDI note has been received.
pitch, filter or volume modulations.
w The amount delay before oscillation sets in de-
• The Sawtooth (SAW) shape can generate inte- pends on the parameter setting for ENV F Trig-
resting filter or volume changes. ger; in other words, the trigger mode of the filter
• The Square (SQR) shape can be interesting for envelope. In the two Single Trigger modes, LFO 2
hard pan modulations or special effects oscillation is not delayed at all when you play le-
gato notes. Use this effect for typical keyboard
• S&H (Sample & Hold) samples a random value solos.
and holds it until the next value is generated. If
Speed is set to 0, a random value is generated
on each new note. Glide
For LFO 1 there is an additional Clocked mode, which is "Glide" describes the continuous gliding from one note
used to synchronise the LFO Speed to incoming or in- to another. This effect can be created on fretless stringed
ternal clock. Therefore LFO 1 can follow a given song instruments or brass instruments. It is very common on
tempo and all tempo changes are recognised, too. synthesizers and used throughout all music styles.
• C SIN creates a sine wave.

• C TRI creates a triangle wave.
• C SAW creates a sawtooth wave.
• C SQR creates a square wave.
• C S&H creates sample & hold values.

Sound Parameter
Rate OFF / 0...127 The Envelope Section (ENV F and ENV A)

Sets the glide time. Low settings will give a short glide
time in a range of milliseconds that gives a special cha-
racter to the sound. Higher settings will result in a long
glide time of up to several seconds which can be useful The Pulse 2 envelopes allow you to manipulate sound
for solo and effect sounds. With the setting OFF, the parameters via rate or timed modulations. The Pulse 2
Glide function is deactivated. offers two independent programmable envelopes with
linear attack and exponential decay and release for
Mode NORM / FNGR / FNON / FNOFF every sound:
Determines the way the Glide effect works. • A Filter Envelope (ENV F). This envelope is fixed
to control the filter but can also be used for other
• NORM means that a continuous glide is performed modulations.
on all new notes.
• An Amplifier Envelope (ENV A). This envelope is
• FNGR means that a continuous glide is performed fixed to control the sound volume, but can also be
only when notes are played legato. Staccato play- used for other modulations.
ed notes start on the exact pitch of their note.
• FNON is similar to FNGR, but it only glides when Attack 0...127
legato notes are triggered. Determines the attack rate or amount of time it takes for
• FNOFF is similar to FNGR, but it glides back to the a signal to go from zero to the maximum level.
former played note when releasing the actual note.
Decay 0...127
Determines the decay rate or amount of time it takes for
a signal to reach the Sustain level.

Sound Parameter
Sustain 0...127 • With the setting of SNG 1, the first note starts the
envelope. All other notes do not restart while a
Determines the sustain level which is held until a note note is sustained. The release phase is not started
ends. until all keys are released. SNG 2 works in the
same way, except that the envelope is started at
Release 0...127 the current value rather than reset to zero at
Once the note has ended, the release phase begins. every new start.
During this phase, the envelope fades to zero at the rate • With the setting of RET 1, the envelope is
determined by the Release value. restarted with every incoming note. With RET 2,
the envelope is restarted with every incoming
Loop OFF / A-D / D-D note, but is not reset to zero. Finally, RET 3 trig-
gers the envelope with every note on. While
The Loop mode can be used to use an envelope as an
holding the note, the envelope is not restarted
additional LFO. The following settings can be used:
and won´t be retriggered when a note is relea-
• OFF creates no loop. sed.
• A-D loops attack and decay phases without reset-

ting to 0 until the release phase starts.
• D-D lets alternate the envelope from full scale to
zero to full. Sustain controls the speed.
Trigger SNG1 / SNG2/ RET 1 / RET 2 / RET 3

Five different types of triggers determine how and when
an envelope is started.

Sound Parameter
The Arpeggiator Section (ARP) Arpeggiator Display Parameter

The Arpeggiator display parameter can be edited with
the Selection buttons and the Selection dial.
Use the Selection buttons to select the desired para-
An Arpeggiator is a device that splits an incoming MIDI
meter, which can be edited with the Selection dial.
chord into its single notes and repeats/reorder them
rhythmically. Different sequence modes can be defined w The Step Editor parameters are different to edit.
for the Arpeggiator to cover a wide range of applica- Please read the corresponding manual section.
tions. In addition to the synthesis features, the Pulse 2
offers a Arpeggiator for every sound.
ARP Step Duration 12...1600%
w If you press the Arp Parameter Matrix button, Sets the length of the step length in relation to ARP
the display changes automatically to the Arpeg- Clock.
giator parameter page.
ARP Swing 0%...100%
Determines how much the timing affects an arpeggio
step. If ARP Swing is set to 50% (default setting), the
arpeggio is played back without any shuffled timing. A
setting of 66% creates a ternary shuffled rhythm. Set-
tings between 50% and 66% are perfect for finetuning
of this groove, settings besides this can be used for expe-
rimental grooves.

Sound Parameter
ARP Delay -50%...+50% w A complete table of all available Accent Control

Moves the playback time of an arpeggio forward (positi- sources (same as Modulation Sources) can be
ve values) or backward (negative values). Forward found in the Appendix.
means that an arpeggio is played later while backward
means that it is played earlier. This parameter lets you Arpeggiator Step Editor
set up an offset for an incoming MIDI clock.
To edit the single steps, you need to press the ARP/Mod
w Keep in mind that this parameter is useful when
button first. In the display, a horizontal line with double
arrows informs you about the active step edit mode.
the arpeggiator is synchronized to an external
MIDI clock or to compensate various delay due Press the ARP button again to edit the regular ARP
parameter. In the display, two vertical arrows informs
to MIDI/Audio interfaces.
you about this edit mode.
Pattern Length 1...16 The editing process of the following arpeggiator parame-
ters is nearly similar. Use the Parameter buttons to
Sets the length of the rhythm pattern. Note that you can select the desired step and change its condition with the
only edit a particular step in the Step Editor when its Parameter dial.
position is within the range of the Pattern Length
parameter. Here is a step by step guide how to edit the arpeg-
giator step data:
Accent Control multiple targets
[ Press the ARP button to enter the step edit mo-
Determines the modulation source for modulating the
de. The EVENT parameter will be automatically
input velocity. However, the generated velocities can
selected.
never exceed the maximum MIDI velocity 127 or mini-
mum MIDI velocity 0. In conjunction with SOFT you [ Use the Parameter buttons and the Parame-
can create very lively arpeggios. ter dial to edit the steps as desired.

Sound Parameter
[ Press the ARP button again. Now press the right Event multiple step data
Parameter button once to select the TIME This parameter can have a pronounced effect on the
function. resulting arpeggio, so you should read the following
[ Press the ARP button again to go back to the paragraphs carefully. Event basically determines which
step edit mode. Now you can edit the step note of the note list is played at a particular step.
lenght of each step separately with the Parame- • If OFF is selected, the Arpeggiator plays nothing
ter buttons and the Parameter dial. at this step position.
[ Press the ARP button again. Now press the right • If SOFT is selected, the correspondig step will be
Parameter button once to select the GLIDE played with a reduced velocity.
function.
• If NORM is selected, the correspondig step will
[ Press the ARP button again to go back to the be played with its regular velocity.
step edit mode. Now you can switch on the
Glide function for each step separately with the • If HARD is selected, the correspondig step will
Parameter buttons and the Parameter dial. be played with a higher velocity.
If EVEN is selected, the step will be played only
w Note that you can only edit a particular step in
•
with every second arpeggio cycle.
the Step Editor when its position is within the
range of the Pattern Length parameter. If you • If ODD is selected, the step will be played only
have set Pattern Length to 8 you cannot select with every second odd arpeggio cycle. Keep in
step 9 or higher. mind that the arpeggio starts counting with zero.
• If OCT+ is selected, the corresponding step will
be played one octave higher that the original
pitch.

Sound Parameter
• If 1ST is selected, only the first incoming note des to the note that has to be played at this parti-
will be played. cular position in the arpeggio.
• If RESET is selected, the note index (not the pat-

tern) will be resetted and plays from start with
The ARP Parameter of the Parameter Matrix
the first played note.
Active OFF / ON / HOLD
Time 25% / 50% / 75% / 100% This parameter sets the way the Arpeggiator works.
Changes the length of the note of a particular step. The • If OFF is selected, the arpeggiator is not active.
overall length of the arpeggio depends on the Step
Duration setting (100% is the original length of the • If ON is selected, the arpeggiator is active. When
step). You can create very nice staccato and legato you press a note or a chord on the keyboard, it is
effects with this parameter. split up and repeated rhythmically. As soon as
you release a note, it is removed from the arpeg-
gio rhythm. Conversely, as soon as you add
Glide OFF / ON
another note to the existing chord, it is inserted
For each step in the arpeggio pattern you can activate into the arpeggio. When you release all notes,
the glide effect individually. This gives you the ability to the arpeggiator stops.
create the classic "Bass Line" melody character. Make
• If HOLD is selected, the arpeggiator splits up all
sure that you set up a reasonable glide effect with the
played notes and generates a continuous arpeg-
Glide Rate parameter.
gio even when the chord is released. This gives
• If OFF is selected, the glide effect is disabled for you two ways of entering a chord:
this step.
• Press all keys of the chord simultaneously.
• If ON is selected, the glide effect is enabled for This is the normal procedure you would
this step. This means that the previous note gli-

Sound Parameter
follow with the other Arpeggiator Modes, the Clock parameter in Global mode is set to Auto or
too. External, this parameter has no function.
or
Clock 1/1…1/96
• Press and hold the first key of the chord.
While holding this key, enter the other keys Sets the note value for the steps of the rhythm pattern in
sequentially. After playing all keys, you can a range from whole notes to thirty-second triplet notes.
release the first key. This method is practi- Triplets and dotted notes are also available for every
cal for playing difficult chords. It allows note value.
you to create arpeggios in the sequence of Pattern OFF / P001...P500
played notes. You can even hit the same
note several times and it will appear in the Here you can copy the arpeggio pattern from the desired
note list accordingly. sound. Only sounds will be shown which patterns are
different from the default settings.
w You can stop playback of the Arpeggiator by
setting Mode to OFF or ON, or by sending an All Mode diverse
Notes Off message from your sequencer
Sets the direction that is used to play back the arpeggio.
Range 1...10 • If UP is selected, the notes are played as they
were entered and the octaves are transposed
Determines the number of octave transpositions the
upward. The arpeggio starts in the original octa-
arpeggiator generates.
ve and goes up to the highest octave. Then the
arpeggio is repeated.
Tempo 46...300
• If DOWN is selected, the note list is played
Sets the basic tempo of the arpeggiator in BPM (beats backward and the octaves are transposed down-
per minute). If the Pulse 2 receives MIDI Clock data and ward. The arpeggio starts in the highest octave

Sound Parameter
and goes down to the original octave. Then the • When you use the Arpeggiator as the master, set
arpeggio is repeated. its speed via the Tempo parameter. The TX Arp
Notes as well as the TX Arp Clock parameters
• If ALT is selected, the note list is first played for-
in the Global menu should be set to ON. The
ward and the octaves are transposed upward. Af-
Pulse 2 will send the Arpeggiator notes and the
ter reaching the last note of the note list in the
MIDI Clock signal via MIDI Out and USB MIDI
highest octave to play, the note list is played
Out.
backward and the octaves are transposed down-
ward down to the first note of the note list in the • When you use the Arpeggiator as a slave, an ex-
original octave. Then the arpeggio is repeated. ternal device (e.g. sequencer) determines the
tempo of the Arpeggiator. The Clock parameter
• If RAND is selected, the note list will be played
in the Global menu should be set to AUTO or
randomly.
EXTERN. Here too notes and MIDI Clock infor-
• If #UP is selected, a maximum number of 16 no- mation can be activated to control other devices.
tes will be played upwards, according to their
incoming order.
• If #DWN is selected, a maximum number of 16
notes will be played downwards, according to
their incoming order.
• If #ALT is selected, a maximum number of 16
notes will be played upward and downwards.
The Pulse's Arpeggiator can be used as a master as well
as a slave via the MIDI Clock:

Sound Parameter
The Filter Section (VCF) • When the bandpass type is selected, only fre-
quencies near the cutoff setting will passed
through.
You can bring more movement into the sound by modu-
The Pulse 2 offers a multimode filter. lating the cutoff frequency via the LFO, the envelope or
the Keytrack parameter of the filter. At 100% Key-
w A detailed introduction of the filters can be found tracking and maximum Resonance level, the then self-
in the chapter "Sound Synthesis Basics" of this oscillating filter can be played in a tempered scale.
manual.
Resonance 0...127
w We recommend to tune the filter periodically to
ensure settings reliability. Read more about this Resonance is the emphasis around the corner frequency.
in the chapter "Utility Menu". Use lower values to give more brilliance to a sound. At
higher values a sound gets the typical filter character
with a strong boost around the cutoff frequency. When
Cutoff 0...127
the setting is raised to maximum, the filter starts to self-
Cutoff the frequency for the lowpass and highpass filter oscillate, generating a pure sine wave. This feature can
type and the center frequency for the band pass. be used to create analog-style effects and percussion,
like electronic toms, kicks, zaps etc.
• When the lowpass type is selected via the Type
switch, all frequencies above the cutoff fre-
quency are progressively damped. ENV F Mod -64...+63
(= Envelope Mod Amount). Sets the amount of influence
• When the highpass type is selected, all frequen-
the envelope has on the cutoff frequency. For higher
cies below the cutoff frequency are damped.
settings, the filter cutoff frequency is increased by the
modulation of the envelope. Use this parameter to

Sound Parameter
change the timbre of the sound over time. Sounds with a By doing this you can e.g. "fly-in" a sound starting
hard attack usually have a envelope amount that makes at its high harmonics and then coming up to its full
the start phase bright and then closes the filter to get a frequency range.
darker sustain phase.
By the way, the envelope amount also depends on the Keytrack -64...+63
played velocity. Use this feature to give a more expres- Determines how much the cutoff frequency depends on
sive character to the sound. When you hit the keys the MIDI note number. The reference note for Keytrack
smoothly, only minimal modulation is applied. When is E3, note number 64. For positive settings, the cutoff
you hit them harder, the modulation amount also gets frequency rises on notes above the reference note, for
stronger negative settings the cutoff frequency falls by the same
amount, and vice versa. A setting of +32% corresponds
Type LP24 / LP12 / BP12 / HP12 to a 1:1 scale, so e.g. when an octave is played on a
keyboard the cutoff frequency changes by the same
Selects the filter type:
amount. If you want to play the filter in a tempered
• The LP (Lowpass) cuts frequencies above the cutoff scale, e.g. for a solo sound with self-oscillation, set the
point. You can choose a slope of 12 or 24 dB/ value to +32%. On most bass sounds lower settings in
Octave. the range +16…+24% are optimal to keep the sound
smooth at higher notes. With Cutoff is set to 45 and
• BP (Bandpass) removes frequencies both below Keytrack to 32%, the filter is tuned on C and pitch
and above the cutoff point. As a result, the sound matches oscillators (when Semitone is set to 0).
character gets thinner. Use these filter types when
programming effect and percussion-like sounds.
Velocity -64...+63
• HP (Highpass) is useful to thin out a sound’s bass
Determines the amount of influence the filter envelope
frequencies. This may also give interesting results
has on the cutoff frequency, based on key velocity. This
in conjunction with cutoff frequency modulation.
parameter works similarly to the ENV F Amount para-

Sound Parameter
meter with the difference that its intensity is velocity

based. Use this feature to give a more expressive charac- The Amplifier Section (VCA)
ter to the sound. When you hit the keys smoothly, only
minimal modulation is applied. When you hit them
harder, the modulation amount also gets stronger.
To understand the operation of this unit, it is important
w The overall modulation applied to the filter’s to know that the Amplifier Envelope (ENV A) is always
cutoff frequency is calculated as the sum of both acting as a modulation source for the volume. This
the ENV F Amount and Filter Velocity parame- means that an audio signal can only pass through if the
ters. Therefore you should always bear this total Amp Envelope is triggered and opened.
in mind, especially when the filter does not be-
have as you expect. You can also create inte-
Drive 0...127
resting effects by setting one parameter to a posi-
tive and the other to a negative amount. Determines the amount of saturation that is added to the
signal. If set to 0, saturation will be minimum or, in
other words, the signal will remain nearly clean. Lower
values will add some harmonics to the signal, resulting
in a warm character. Increasing the value will bring in
more and more distortion, suitable for harder lead
sounds and effects.
w Is Drive Curve set to NONE, this parameter has

no effect.

Sound Parameter
Drive Curve Diverse Volume 0…127

Determines the character of the drive. The following Determines the overall volume of the sound program.
drive curves are available:
• NONE deactivates the drive curve. Velocity -64…+63
Specifies how much volume will be affected by key-
• TUBE generates a warm and vintage sound with an
board velocity. Use this feature to give more expression
asymetrical distortion.
to the sound. With a setting of 0, velocity will have no
• FUZZ generates a hard and noisy symmetrical effect on the volume. Classic organs work in this way
distortion. because they do not have dynamic response. For positi-
ve settings, the volume rises with higher velocities. This
Panning L64...CNT...R63 is the most commonly used setting, which gives a piano-
like character. With negative settings, the volume de-
Determines the position in the stereo panorama. When creases at higher velocities. This gives an atypical cha-
the setting is L64, the sound is panned far left; when the racter suitable for effect sounds. As the Amplifier always
setting is R63, it is panned far right. If you want to situa- works in conjunction with the Amplifier Envelope, this
te the sound in the middle of the stereo panorama, use parameter actually determines the envelope velocity
the CNT setting. To give further movement to the sound, amount. The following picture illustrates this functionali-
set this parameter to a basic value and apply some mo- ty:
dulation to it via a LFO. %&'(&'
,-."#&#/012&#$
)**+
8$4/0$213"'4/7/)9):; 8$4/0$213"'4/7/):;
Noise 0...127 8$4/0$213"'4/7/)
8$4/0$213"'4/7/=? 8$4/0$213"'4/7/=?
Volume of the noise generator. *+ 8$4/0$213"'4/7/) 8$4/0$213"'4/7/):;

!"#$ !"#$ !"#$
0$213"'4/5-6-#$'$6/7/* 0$213"'4/5-6-#$'$6/7/<=> 0$213"'4/5-6-#$'$6/7/@=?

Sound Parameter
The Modulation Matrix Menu (Mod) All modulation parameters can be edited with the
Selection button and the Selection dial.
Use the Selection buttons to select the desired modu-
lation source, target or amount, which can be edited
with the Selection dial.
A modulation can be described as a signal-generating

unit’s influence upon a sound parameter. The terms
used in this context are "Source" and "Target". The Pulse
2 offers 8 independent modulation assignments (slots)
each with individual settings of source, destination and
amount. The Modulation Matrix (Mod Matrix) is the key
of the power of each Waldorf synthesizer, so start expe-
rimenting with it right now.
w A complete table of all available sources and

targets can be found in the Appendix.
Hold the Shift button and press the Mod button to
access the Modulation Matrix menu.

Sound Parameter
The Sound Menu Bend Down 0...36

Determines the intensity of the pitchbend via MIDI
Pitchbend messages in semitones for the selected oscil-
lator, when it will be moved downwards.
Here you will find additional parameters for the selected

sound program.
Hold the Shift button and press the Sound button to
access the Sound menu. Use the Selection buttons to
select the desired parameter, which can be edited with
the Selection dial.
Bend Upwards 0...36

Determines the intensity of the pitchbend via MIDI
Pitchbend messages in semitones for the selected oscil-
lator, when it will be moved upwards.

Additional Settings
430...450
Additional Settings Mastertune
Controls the Pulse 2 overall pitch in Hertz. The value
Global parameters are settings that affect the Pulse 2 specified here is the reference pitch for MIDI note A3.
general response. Global parameters are stored automat- The default setting is 440Hz, which is commonly used
ically when you leave the Global menu, so you are not by most instruments.
required to save them manually.
m You should only change this setting if you really
The Global Menu know what you’re doing. You will have to adjust
all your other instruments, too. Don’t forget to
All Global parameters are located in the Global Menu. set it back again!
Hold the Shift button and press the Global button to
access the Global menu. Use the Selection buttons to
Transpose -24...+24
select the desired Global parameter, which can be edi-
ted with the Selection dial. Allows a global pitch transposition for the tone genera-
tor. Incoming MIDI notes are shifted by the number of
semitones.
MIDI Channel OMNI / 1...16

Sets the basic send and receive channel for the Pulse 2.
This setting is valid for all Sound programs. If omni is
selected, the Pulse 2 sends on channel 1 and receives
on all channels.
m Please use omni only for test purposes if you

wish to check the basic MIDI send and receive
functionality. As soon as you know that the Pul-

Additional Settings
se 2 receives MIDI properly, set MIDI Channel • EXTERN means that the Pulse 2 syncs to in-
to any other value than omni. coming MIDI clock only.
MIDI Thru OFF / ON TX Arp Clock OFF / ON

Activates the MIDI Thru function of the MIDI Out port. Determines whether Arpeggiator tempo is sent out as
Incoming MIDI data will be automatically sent via MIDI MIDI clock data over USB MIDI and MIDI.
Out port to connected MIDI devices. Additionaly, the
Pulse 2 will send out its own data via MIDI Out. TX Arp Notes OFF / ON
Determines whether Arpeggiator notes are sent by the
Clock AUTO / INTERN / EXTERN
Pulse 2 over USB MIDI and MIDI.
Determines how the Pulse 2 reacts on incoming MIDI
Clock messages: TX Parameter OFF / CC / SYSEX / CC+SYS
• AUTO means that the Pulse 2 automatically Determines how Real-Time Sound Parameter Changes
syncs to incoming MIDI Clock if it is sent to it are sent by the Pulse 2.
by an external device like a sequencer or
drum machine. If there is no MIDI Clock • If OFF is selected, no data is sent.
present, the Pulse 2 generates its internal • If CC is selected, only controller messages are sent.
tempo base. This is the recommended setting Parameters without a dedicated controller are not
that works in almost all situations. sent at all.
• INTERN means that the Pulse doesn’t react • If SYSEX is selected, all Sound parameters are sent
on incoming MIDI Clock nor does it send as system exclusive messages. The disadvantage is
MIDI Clock. The Pulse 2 only syncs to its a larger amount of data that is transferred.
own tempo base that is set by ARP Tempo.

Additional Settings
• If CC+SYS is selected, all Sound parameters with a Device ID 0...126

dedicated controller assignment are sent as con-
troller messages. This is the recommended setting. Defines the device identification number for system
exclusive data transmission.
Control X 0...119 System Exclusive data contains no MIDI channel infor-
mation so this ID is used to distinguish between several
This parameter is used to define an arbitrary MIDI Con- Waldorf Pulse 2, if you have more than one Pulse 2 in
tinuous Controller as modulation sources for sounds. your setup.
Each value represents a MIDI Continuous Controller
number that is used when you assign its parameter as Transmission will only be executed successfully if the
modulation source in the Modulation Matrix. The hig- sender and receiver are set to the same ID. ID 127 is a
hest possible Controller number is 119 because all hig- so-called broadcast ID that addresses all connected
her numbers are reserved for non-real-time purposes. Blofelds. The Pulse 2 can receive Sysex data broadcast
from other devices, but cannot send it itself. This func-
w Nearly all Sound parameters of the Pulse 2 can tion is limited to special computer software.
be controlled by MIDI Continuous Controller
messages. If you Control X to a controller that is w Firmware updates are stored with a Device ID of
also used for a Sound parameter, the Pulse 2 dis- 127, so you don’t need to change the Device ID
ables this Controller as Sound parameter Control- on your Pulse 2 when you want to update it to a
ler and uses it exclusively for Control X. This is newer firmware.
an important issue when you send Sound para-
meter changes by tweaking parameters on the m If you have only one Pulse 2, leave Device ID
front panel. The Sound parameter is sent out as on 0. There is no need at all to change this set-
Controller but can’t be received as long as you ting to any other value.
don’t change Control X to another MIDI Conti-
nuous Controller message.

Additional Settings
[ After you have bought your 127th Pulse 2, please w By default, Pulse 2 do not map MIDI controllers
contact Waldorf Music. You will receive a perso- from 32 to 43 which are reserved by MIDI . With
nal device number that authorizes you to have P1 Legacy mode, you can use them as they we-
dinner with our Managing Director. Be sure we in- re used on original Pulse.
vite you for some french fries at our favorite burger
company. LCD Contrast 0...127
Sets the display contrast.
Input Gain -13...+20dB
Determines the sensitivity of the external audio input. CV Mode V/OCT / V/Hz
For high level signals the Input Gain should be reduced,
for low level signals increased. Selects the desired CV mode:
V/OCT selects 1 Volt per Octave (exponential
w Microphones or guitars can be directly connected
•
scale).
to the Pulse 2, but we recommend to use a suited
pre ampflifier. Low signal level instruments • V/Hz selects Volt per Hertz (linear scale).
should be amplified by a special pre-amplifier
before they are routed to the Pulse 2 External In. w Hint: CV ranges from 0 to 5 Volt.
P1 Legacy OFF / ON CV Amp PITCH / UNIPOL / BIPOL
Activates the controller assignment of the former Pulse 1 Determines the CV output:
model.
• If PITCH is selected, pitch will be send via CV
when a note is played or the arpeggiator gene-
rates notes.

Additional Settings
• UNIPOL sets the basic value for sending unipo- w A value will be triggered, when the ENV A enve-
lar modulation sources as envelopes or velo- lope is also triggered. When a retrigger mode is
city. The default value is 0 V and can be modi- set, Gate will be set to inactive for nearly one
fied in the Modulation matrix. milli second to trigger a new impulse within the
• BIPOL sets the basic value for sending bipolar receiver.
modulation sources as LFOs. The default value
is middle voltage and can be modified in the
Modulation matrix.
The Utility Menu
CV Tune -64...+63 Aside from the different Midi Dump Options, the Utility
menu contains further helpful functions.
Scale/slope adjusting parameter for the CV output. A
spread from 1.5 to 2.5 is possible.
CV Adjust -64...+63
Determines a fixed value which will be added to the
control voltage.
Gate Mode HIGH / LOW

Setting of the polarity of Gate Out.
Hold the Shift button and press the Utility button to
• HIGH is 3.3 V, high with active trigger. access the Utility menu. Use the Selection buttons or
the Selection dial to select the desired Utility parame-
• LOW is 0 V, low with active trigger
ter.

Additional Settings
Hold again the Shift button and press Utility to activate Dump Sound
the selected utility function.
When you activate the Dump Sound function, the Pulse
2 sends the actual sound via USB MIDI and MIDI out
Init Sound port to a connected computer or sequencer. Using a
Use the Init function to initialize a sound to its basic sequencer software or a special sound editor program,
parameter settings. This is useful if you want to start you can record and archive this data.
programming a sound from the scratch.
w Keep in mind that you receiving device should be
w When you initialize a sound, all action takes able to record and save MIDI sysex data.
place inside an edit buffer. Therefore no data will
be lost until you store the sound. Init Global Parameters
This function sets back all Global settings to default
Recall Sound values.
The Recall Sound function allows you to void edits at
any time and return to the original stored program. Keep Dump All Sounds
in mind that all edits will be gone by using this function.
When you activate this function, the Pulse 2 sends the
contents of its memory via MIDI USB and MIDI out port
Compare Sound to a connected computer.
The Compare Sound function allows you to compare
the currently edited sound to its original stored version w The data dump may take some time. The Pulse 2
in the internal memory. Using Compare Sound several cannot be played during this time.
times, this function swaps from edited (E) to compared
(C) sound.

Additional Settings
Filter Tune - Loud!

The filter is tuned at the factory prior to shipping and, as
a rule, is very stable. However, the Pulse 2 is an actual
analog synthesizer, so diverse factors may cause slight
tuning problems. Therefore we recommend that you re-
calibrate it from time to time. On demand, the Pulse 2
executes this function automatically.
w The Pulse 2 will generate high-volume output

during calibration, so turn volume down as well
as the volume of your speakers or alternatively
disconnect the audio output
Information
This functions displays the actual installed firmware
version as well as the serial number of your Pulse 2.

Sound Synthesis Basics
Sound Synthesis Basics The Sawtooth Wave

The Sawtooth wave is the most popular synthesizer
Oscillators Introduction waveform. It consists of all harmonics in which the
magnitude of each harmonic descends by the factor of
The oscillator is the first building block of a synthesizer. its position. This means that the first harmonic (the fun-
It delivers the signal that is transformed by all other damental) has full magnitude, the second harmonic has
components of the synthesizer. In the early days of half magnitude, the third harmonic has a third magnitu-
electronic synthesis, engineers found that most real de and so on. The following picture shows how the
acoustic instrument waveforms can be reproduced by individual harmonics build up the sawtooth wave:
using abstracted electronic versions of these waveforms.
They weren´t the first who came to that conclusion, but
they were the first in recreating them electronically and
building them into a machine that could be used com-
mercially. What they implemented into his synthesizer
were the still well-known waveforms sawtooth and
square. For sure, this is only a minimal selection of the
endless variety of waveforms, but the Waldorf Pulse 2
gives you exactly these waveforms at hand.
Now, you probably know how these waveforms look
and sound, but the following chapter gives you a short
introduction into the deeper structure of these wave-
forms.

back to its original position. The bow is still moved and

!;2<=/'5>+1,
./0+12*3(<! so it catches the string again and the procedure is repea-
ted. The result is a waveform that looks like a sawtooth.
9 The same is true for a brass instrument. The string in this
$+3<=/'5>+1, case are the lips while the bow is the air. The lips are
./0+12*3(<!?$
moved by the air to a certain extent and abruptly move
9 back to their original position.
@'3<=/'5>+1,
./0+12*3(<!?@
The Square Wave
9
The Square Wave is a pulse waveform with 50% pulse
width. This means that the positive part of the waveform
"2A<=/'5>+1,
./0+12*3(<!?" has the same length as the negative part. The pulse
waveform can have other pulse widths as you will read
9
B
later. For now, we´ll talk about the square wave as a
B unique waveform. The square wave consists of all odd
:
657812*3( ./0+12*3(
harmonics in which the magnitude of each harmonic
descends by the factor of its position. This means that
415( the first harmonic has full magnitude, the third harmonic
! " # !$ !%
&'()*(+,- has a third magnitude, the fifth harmonic has a fifth
=/'5>+1,; magnitude and so on. The following picture shows how
Additive components of the Sawtooth wave the individual harmonics build up the pulse wave:
The sawtooth wave was thought as an abstraction of the
timbre of string and brass instruments. You can easily
understand that when you think of a violin. Imagine a
bow pulling the string slightly into one direction. At one
point, the string abruptly comes off the bow and swings

The Pulse Wave

!;2<=/'5>+1,
./0+12*3(<!
The Pulse Wave is the most versatile wave in a classic
9 synthesizer because its shape and therefore its harmonic
content can be changed in real time. This is done by
"'3<=/'5>+1,
./0+12*3(<!@" changing the width of the upper and lower portion of
the waveform cycle. These portions are called pulses,
9
hence the name pulse width. The width of the first pulse
#2?<=/'5>+1,
./0+12*3(<!@#
is used to distinguish between different pulse waves and
it is measured in percent. The following picture shows
9 several pulse waves with different pulse widths:
$2?<=/'5>+1,
./0+12*3(<!@$
9
A
A
:
657812*3( ./0+12*3(
415(
&'()*(+,-
! " # $ % !! !" !#
=/'5>+1,;
Additive components of the square wave with 50%

pulse width

very symmetrical harmonic content, while all other

#&'()*+,- pulse widths create peaks or troughs at certain frequen-
./0*12-(314-5 cies. Another special case is a pulse wave with a very
! " # $ % !! !" !#
narrow pulse width, in the above picture labelled as
<1%. An infinitely thin pulse creates a spectrum that has
""'()*+,- all harmonics with equal magnitudes. In a digital syn-
thesizer, "infinitely" necessarily means one sample.
! " # $ % !! !" !#
The pulse wave is an artificial wave, which means that it
doesn’t occur in nature. It was built into synthesizers
6#'()*+,-
because it can create a lot of different timbres with a
minimum of technical effort. However, certain pulse
! " # $ % !! !" !#
widths sound very close to the timbres of acoustic (or
7!'()*+,-
semi-acoustic) instruments, i.e. a guitar or bass guitar, an
.89:*+,-5 e-piano or even a flute.
! " # $ % !! !" !# The most powerful feature of the pulse wave is the abili-
Additive components of Pulse wave with different pulse ty to change its width while sounding. This is called
widths pulse width modulation. When the pulse width is chan-
ged, the waveform starts to sound thicker. This happens
The first fact you can probably observe is that the lower
because the effect is very similar to what you hear when
part of the wave has a narrower excursion. This is be-
you have two oscillators running with slightly different
cause the energy of the wider pulse is higher than the
frequencies. They interfere and create irregular troughs
one of the narrower pulse. If this were not compensated,
in the resulting waveforms.
the overall signal would have an unwanted DC offset.
As you have read in the previous chapter, the harmonic
content of a 50% pulse wave is a special case. It has a

The Triangle Wave

!;2<=/'5>+1,
./0+12*3(<!
The Triangle Wave is very similar to the square wave. It
is composed of the same harmonics as the square wave, 9
but with different magnitude ratios. The magnitude of
"'3<=/'5>+1,
each harmonic is divided by the power of its number. ./0+12*3(<!@%
This means that the third harmonic’s magnitude is a

9
ninth, the fifth harmonic is a twenty-fifth and so on. The
following illustration shows the harmonic content: #2?<=/'5>+1,
./0+12*3(<!@A#
$2?<=/'5>+1,
./0+12*3(<!@B%
9
C
C
:
657812*3( ./0+12*3(
415(
&'()*(+,-
! " # $ % !! !" !#
=/'5>+1,;
Additive components of the Triangle wave
The reason why the triangle wave is so popular in clas-
sic synthesizers: It could act as a suboscillator wave, to
emphasize certain frequencies or to frequency modulate
other oscillators.

Filter Introduction )#*#+
Once the audio signal leaves the oscillator, it is sent to

the filter. The filter is a component that has significant
influence on the Pulse 2’s sound characteristics.
For now, we’ll explain the basic function of a filter dis-
cussing the type used most commonly in synthesizers:
the low pass filter
The low pass filter type dampens frequencies above a
specified cutoff frequency. Frequencies below this
threshold are hardly affected. The frequency below the
cutoff point is called the pass band range, the frequenci-
es above are called the stop band range. The Pulse 2’s !"#$%#&'(
filter dampens frequencies in the stop band with a ,%-.//
certain slope. The following picture shows the basic
principle of a low pass filter: The Pulse 2’s filter also features a resonance parameter.
Resonance in the context of a low, band or high pass
filter means that a narrow frequency band around the
cutoff point is emphasized. The following picture shows
the effect of the resonance parameter on the filter’s
frequency curve:

)#*#+
0#1.&2&'#
!"#$%#&'(
,%-.//
If the resonance is raised to a great extent, then the filter

will begin to self-oscillate, i.e. the filter generates an
audible sine wave even when it does not receive an
incoming signal.

Appendix
re that this track is assigned to the Pulse 2

Appendix so that it can receive the data
• Make sure that any Cycle or Loop mode is
Updating the Firmware
switched off. Also make sure that any Me-
The Pulse 2 has a service-friendly feature that makes it tronome clicks and MIDI Clock are swit-
possible to update the system software without changing ched off.
any parts.
• Start the sequencer playing the file, and
All firmware updates come in the form of a standard send the track data to the Pulse 2. The
MIDI file that can be read by nearly any sequencer. The MIDI/USB LED will blink during this proce-
fastest way to get this file is by downloading it from our dure.
web site at:
• After the file is received correctly, the Pulse
pulse2.waldorfmusic.de 2 burns the new firmware into its Flash
memory.
w There will be a .zip file containing the new firm-
ware as well as a manual addendum. w You can perform a firmware update via USB
MIDI as well as the regular MIDI input.
+ Updating Pulse 2 firmware:
• Load the respective Standard MIDI File into
m Don´t disconnect the Pulse 2 or computer during
firmware upgrade process.
your sequencer. Follow the instructions
from your sequencer’s manual. Keep in
mind that your sequencer should be able to
playback MIDI sysex data.
• The MIDI file consists of one single track
with several sysex messages in it. Make su-

Appendix
Receiving System Exclusive Data

You are not required to activate a special receive mode
of the Pulse 2 in order to receive system exclusive data
through MIDI or USB. However, there are a few things
you should check before you transmit system exclusive
data to the Pulse 2:
• Make sure none of the Pulse 2’s sounds is in edit
mode. The edit buffer might be cleared or over-
ridden depending on the type of dump that is
sent to the Pulse 2.
• Check out the parameter Device ID. Data trans-
mission will only be executed successfully if if
the sender and receiver settings match.
As soon as the dump from the sending device is acti-
vated, the Pulse 2 will receive data and store these in its
memory.
If a single sound dump is received, it is temporarily
stored in its respective edit buffer. If you want to keep
such edits, you have to store them. Otherwise they are
discarded when you switch the Pulse 2 off.

Appendix
Modulation Sources CONTROL-X assignable MIDI controller X

V.RELEASE Velocity Release
Source: Description:
M-ACCU Sums up several modulations
OFF No modulation
M-PRODUCT All assigned values will be multi-
LFO1 LFO 1 Signal
plied
LFO1xMODW LFO 1 Signal shaped by
M-DELAY Modulation Delay
Modwheel
M-SMOOTH Value is lowpass filteres according
LFO1xPRS LFO 2 Signal shaped by After-
to amount
touch
M-MIN Minimum of all assigned values
LFO2 LFO 2 Signal
M-MAX Maximum of all assigned values
LFO2*ENVA LFO 2 Signal shaped by Envelope
2 K-HIGHEST The highest note that is pressed
ENVF Filter Envelope Signal K-LOWEST The lowest note that is pressed
ENVA Amplifier Envelope Signal
VELOCITY MIDI Velocity
KEYTRACK MIDI note number
PITCH FLW Same as KEYTRACK, but with
consideration of portamento and
pitchbend
PITCHBEND MIDI pitchbend signal
MODWHEEL MIDI modulation wheel (CC #1)
PRESSURE MIDI channel pressure
BREATH CT MIDI breath control (CC #2)

Appendix
Modulation Targets ARP SWING Swing parameter oft he arpeggia-

tor
Destination: Description:
CV OUT CV output value
PITCH Global pitch of all Oscillators
M-ACCU Sums up several modulations
OSC 1/2/3 PITCH Pitch of Oscillator 1…3
M-PRODUCT All assigned values multiplied
PULSEWIDTH 1/2 Pulse width of Oscillator 1…3 together
OSC 1/2/3 LEVEL Level of Oscillator 1…3 M-DELAY Value is delayed before control-
NOISE LEVEL Level of Noise ling target according to the
CUTOFF Filter Cutoff amount value
RESONANCE Filter Resonance M-SMOOTH Value is lowpass filtered accord-
VOLUME Overall volume ing to the amount
PANNING Panning of the audio output M-MIN Minimum of all assigned values
LFO 1 SPEED Speed of LFO 1 M-MAX Maximum of all assigned values
MOD 1 AMOUNT Mod amount of Modulation 1
DRIVE Drive intensity
GLIDE RATE Glide rate
ENVF RATES Intensity of filter envelope
ENVA RATES Intensity of amplifier envelope
UNISON DET Detune of the Unison voices
PARA FADE 1 Fade out of amplifier envelope in
Para-8 mode
PARA FADE 2 Fade out of amplifier envelope in
Para-4 mode

Appendix
Tips & Tricks • The Pulse 2 output signal is not interrupted when
you change programs. Try exploiting this feature
Here are a few tips that will help you make the most of by using MIDI program change messages to line
your Pulse 2. up a series of different sounds.
• The lower the input signal, the greater the effect • Change the relative pitches of the oscillators at
the filter has on the overall sound. If you want a musical intervals. Thirds (mediant), fifths (domi-
heavily filtered sound, set the oscillators' volume nant) and sevenths (subtonic) are suitable for this
parameters to low values in the mixer. On the application.
other hand, high oscillator levels produce purer
sounds. • Self-oscillation of the filter at high resonance va-
lues produces sounds that are great for soloing.
• If you want a more aggressive sound, simply turn
up the oscillator volume levels so that they are • Modulate the oscillator's pitch drastically so that
just below the saturation point. The mixer's out- the upper frequency threshold is exceeded. This
put signal will crosstalk with the filter frequency will produce interesting results.
and produce a rougher sound.
• Program a pitch modulation in musical intervals.
• You can achieve typical analog synthesizer The section entitled "Modulations" contains an
distortion by overloading the connected mixing assignment table listing the Mod Amount para-
console's input. You can also experiment by pat- meters and the corresponding semitone intervals.
ching effects processors between the Pulse 2 and For example, you can modulate from a major
your mixer. chord to a minor chord via the mod wheel.
• Try using an LFO to modulate the panorama po- • Assign a Keytrack modulation to the LFO speed.
sition. This produces interesting stereo effects, It should modulate the LFO in proportion to the
especially at high LFO frequencies. incoming note. You can thus achieve even fre-

Appendix
quency fluctuations over a wide range of your

keyboard.
• Modulate the pitch of an oscillator via Keytrack.
Set the modulation "Amount" so that this value is
numerically equal to the "Tune" value of the
oscillator, but make one value positive and the
other negative. This generates frequency fluctua-
tions that oscillate at the same speed throughout
the range of the keyboard. Experiment with diffe-
rent Amount values by alternating low and high
notes.
• Modulations are processed in sequence, so if you
assigned e.g. this
LFO1 -> +63 -> M-MAX

M-MAX -> +20 -> OSC1 PITCH
LFO2 -> +63 -> M-MAX
M-MAX -> +20 -> OSC2 PITCH
The Effect will be that OSC1 will be modulated
by LFO1 only while OSC2 is modulated by ma-
ximum of LFO1 and LFO2.

Appendix
Technical Data
Power Supply
Nominal Voltage: DC 12 V
Supply Voltage: 100 – 240 V
Maximum current consumption: 400 mA
Maximum power consumption: 6W
Dimension and Weight

Width: 304 mm
Depth: 132 mm
Height (including knobs): 54 mm
Total weight (excluding power supply): 1,5 kg

Appendix
36 0…127 OSC2 SEMITONE 0…127

MIDI Controller Numbers 37 0…127 OSC2 DETUNE 0…127
Ctr Control Controller or Sound Value Range 38 0…127 OSC2 SHAPE 0…127
l# Range Parameter 39 0…127 OSC2 PULSEWIDTH 0…127
1 0…127 Modulation Wheel 0…127 40 0…127 OSC2 KEYTRACK 0…127
5 0…127 GLIDE RATE 0…127 41 0…127 OSC3 SYNC 0…127
10 0…127 VCA PANNING -64...+63 42 0…127 OSC3 SEMITONE 0…127
14 0…127 ENVF ATTACK 0…127 43 0…127 OSC3 DETUNE 0…127
15 0…127 ENVF DECAY 0…127 44 0…127 OSC3 SHAPE 0…127
16 0…127 ENVF SUSTAIN 0…127 45 0…127 OSC1 LEVEL 0…127
17 0…127 ENVF RELEASE 0…127 46 0…127 OSC2 LEVEL 0…127
83 0…127 ENVA ATTACK 0…127 47 0…127 OSC3 LEVEL 0…127
76 0…127 ENVA DECAY 0…127 48 0…127 NOISE LEVEL 0…127
77 0…127 ENVA SUSTAIN 0…127 49 0…127 VCF TYPE 0…127
78 0…127 ENVA RELEASE 0…127 50 0…127 VCF CUTOFF 0…127
24 0…127 LFO 1 SPEED 0…127 51 0…127 VCF KEYTRACK 0…127
25 0...127 LFO 1 SHAPE 0…127 52 0…127 VCF ENVF AMOUNT 0…127
26 0…127 LFO 2 SPEED 0…127 53 0…127 VCF VELOCITY 0…127
27 0…127 LFO 2 DELAY 0…127 56 0…127 VCF RESONANCE 0…127
29 0…127 ENVF TRIGGER 0…127 57 0…127 VCA VOLUME 0…127
31 0…127 ENVA TRIGGER 0…127 58 0…127 VCA VELOCITY 0…127
35 0…127 OSC1 PULSEWIDTH 0…127 62 0…127 GLIDE MODE 0…127

Appendix
64 0…127 Sustain Pedal 0…127 93 0…127 MOD6 SOURCE 0…127

70 0…127 OSC1 SEMITONE 0…127 94 0…127 MOD6 AMOUNT 0…127
71 0…127 OSC1 DETUNE 0…127 95 0…127 MOD6 TARGET 0…127
72 0…127 OSC3 ROUTING 0…127 96 0…127 MOD7 SOURCE 0…127
73 0…127 OSC1 KEYTRACK 0…127 97 0…127 MOD7 AMOUNT 0…127
74 0…127 ENVF LOOP 0…127 98 0…127 MOD7 TARGET 0…127
75 0…127 ENVA LOOP 0…127 99 0…127 MOD8 SOURCE 0…127
76 0…127 VCA DRIVE 0…127 100 0…127 MOD8 AMOUNT 0…127
77 0…127 VCA DRIVE CURVE 0…127 101 0…127 MOD8 TARGET 0…127
79 0…127 ARP ACTIVE 0…127 102 0…127 UNISON DETUNES 0…127
80 0…127 ARP RANGE 0…127 103 0…127 OSC1 ENVA FADE 0…127
81 0…127 ARP TEMPO 0…127 104 0…127 OSC2 ENVA FADE 0…127
82 0…127 ARP CLOCK 0…127 105 0…127 BEND UPWARDS 0…127
83 0…127 ARP MODE 0…127 106 0…127 BEND DOWN 0…127
84 0…127 STEP DURATION 0…127 108 0…127 MOD1 SOURCE 0…127
85 0…127 ARP SWING 0…127 109 0…127 MOD1 AMOUNT 0…127
86 0…127 ARP DELAY 0…127 110 0…127 MOD1 TARGET 0…127
87 0…127 PATTERN LENGTH 0…127 111 0…127 MOD2 SOURCE 0…127
88 0…127 ACCENT CONTROL 0…127 112 0…127 MOD2 AMOUNT 0…127
90 0…127 MOD5 SOURCE 0…127 113 0…127 MOD2 TARGET 0…127
91 0…127 MOD5 AMOUNT 0…127 114 0…127 MOD3 SOURCE 0…127
92 0…127 MOD5 TARGET 0…127 115 0…127 MOD3 AMOUNT 0…127

Appendix
116 0…127 MOD3 TARGET 0…127

117 0…127 MOD4 SOURCE 0…127
118 0…127 MOD4 AMOUNT 0…127
119 0…127 MOD4 TARGET 0…127
120 All Sound Off Immediate
silence
121 Reset All Controllers Resets all
controllers
123 All Notes Off Releases all
voices

Appendix
and the clock, which means the repetition interval.

Glossary Some arpeggiators also feature preset or programmable
rhythm patterns.
Aftertouch
The majority of contemporary MIDI keyboards are Attack
capable of generating aftertouch messages. On this type An envelope parameter. "Attack" is a term that describes
of keyboard, when you press harder on a key you are the ascent rate of an envelope from its starting point to
already holding down, a MIDI Aftertouch message is the point where it reaches its highest value. The Attack
generated. This feature can be used to control the Cutoff phase is initiated immediately after a trigger signal is
frequency of the Pulse 2. received, i.e. after you play a note on the keyboard.
Amount Band Pass Filter

Describes to which extent a modulation influences a
A band pass filter allows only those frequencies around
given parameter.
the cutoff frequency to pass. Frequencies both below
Amplifier and above the cutoff point are damped.
An amplifier is a component that influences the volume Clipping

level of a sound via a control signal. This control signal
is often generated by an envelope or an LFO. Clipping is a sort of distortion that occurs when a signal
exceeds its the circuitry maximum value. The curve of a
Arpeggiator clipped signal is dependent of the system where the
An arpeggiator is a device that splits an incoming chord clipping takes place. In the analog domain, clipping
into its single notes and repeats them rhythmically. Most effectively limits the signal to its maximum level.
arpeggiators feature different sequence modes to cover a
wide range of applications. Typical controls for an ar-
peggiator are the octave range, the direction, the speed

Appendix
Control Change (Controllers) Note. The classic envelope consists of four individually
MIDI messages enable you to manipulate the response variable phases: Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release.
of a sound generator to a significant degree. This sequence is called an ADSR envelope. Attack,
Decay and Release are time or slope values, and Sustain
This message essentially consists of two components: is a variable volume level. Once an incoming trigger is
• The Controller number, which defines the element received, the envelope runs through the Attack and
to be influenced. It can be between 0 and 119. Decay phases until it reaches the programed Sustain
level. This level remains constant until the trigger is
• The Controller value, which sets the extent of the terminated. The envelope then initiates the Release
modification. phase until it reaches the minimum value.
Controllers can be used for effects such as slowly swel-
ling vibrato and influencing filter frequency. Filter
A filter is a component that allows some of a signal's
Decay frequencies to pass through it and dampens other fre-
"Decay" describes the descent rate of an envelope once quencies. The most important aspect of a filter is the
the Attack phase has reached its zenith and the envelo- filter cutoff frequency. Filters generally come in four
pe drops to the level defined for the Sustain value. categories: low pass, high pass, band pass, and band
stop. A low pass filter dampens all frequencies above
Envelope the cutoff frequency. A high pass filter in turn dampens
An envelope is used to modulate a sound-shaping com- the frequencies below the cutoff. The band pass filter
ponent within a given time frame so that the sound is allows only those frequencies around the cutoff fre-
changed in some manner. For instance, an envelope that quency to pass, all others are dampened. A band stop
modulates the cutoff frequency of a filter opens and filter does just the opposite, i.e. it dampens only the
closes this filter so that some of the signal's frequencies frequencies around the cutoff frequency. The most
are filtered out. An envelope is started via a trigger, common type is the low pass filter.
usually a fixed trigger. Normally, the trigger is a MIDI

Appendix
Filter Cutoff Frequency MIDI

The filter cutoff frequency is a significant factor for fil- The acronym MIDI stands for "musical instrument digital
ters. A low pass filter dampens the portion of the signal interface." It was developed in the early 1980s so that
that lies above this frequency. Frequencies below this diverse types of electronic musical instruments by diffe-
value are allowed to pass through without being proces- rent manufacturers could interact. At the time a com-
sed. munications standard for heterogeneous devices did not
exist, so MIDI was a significant advance. It made it
High Pass Filter possible to link all devices with one another through
A high pass filter dampens all frequencies below its simple, uniform connections.
cutoff frequency. Frequencies above the cutoff point are Essentially, this is how MIDI works: One sender is con-
not affected. nected to one or several receivers. For instance, if you
want to use a computer to play the Pulse 2, then the
LFO computer is the sender and the Pulse 2 acts as the recei-
LFO is an acronym for low-frequency oscillator. The ver. With a few exceptions, the majority of MIDI devices
LFO generates a periodic oscillation at a low frequency are equipped with two or three ports for this purpose:
and features variable waveshapes. Similar to an envelo- MIDI In, MIDI Out and in some cases MIDI Thru. The
pe, an LFO can be used to modulate a sound-shaping sender transfers data to the receiver via the MIDI Out
component. jack. Data are sent via a cable to the receiver's MIDI In
jack.
Low Pass Filter MIDI Thru has a special function. It allows the sender to
Synthesizers are often equipped with a low pass filter. A transmit to several receivers. It routes the incoming
low pass filter dampens all frequencies above its cutoff signal to the next device without modifying it. Another
frequency. Frequencies below the cutoff point are not device is simply connected to this jack, thus creating a
affected. chain through which the sender can address a number
of receivers. Of course it is desirable for the sender to be
able to address each device individually. Consequently,

Appendix
there is a rule which is applied to ensure each device pitch is derived from the note number, which lies bet-
responds accordingly. ween 0 and 127. The velocity lies between 1 and 127. A
value of 0 for velocity is similar to "Note Off".
MIDI Channel
This is a very important element of most messages. A Panning
receiver can only respond to incoming messages if its The process of changing the signal's position within the
receive channel is set to the same channel as the one stereo panorama.
the sender is using to transmit data. Subsequently, the
sender can address specific receivers individually. MIDI Pitchbend
Channels 1 through 16 are available for this purpose. Pitchbend is a MIDI message. Although pitchbend mes-
sages are similar in function to control change messages,
MIDI Clock they are a distinct type of message. The reason for this
The MIDI Clock message sets the tempo of a piece of distinction is that the resolution of a pitchbend message
music. It serves to synchronize processes based on time. is substantially higher than that of a conventional Con-
troller message. The human ear is exceptionally sensiti-
Modulation ve to deviations in pitch, so the higher resolution is used
A modulation influences or changes a sound-shaping because it relays pitchbend information more accura-
component via a modulation source. Modulation tely.
sources include envelopes, LFOs or MIDI messages. The
modulation destination is sound-shaping component Program Change
such as a filter or a VCA. These are MIDI messages that switch sound programs.
Program numbers 1 through 128 can be changed via
Note on / Note off program change messages.
These are the most important MIDI messages. It sets the
pitch and velocity of every generated note. The time of
arrival is simultaneously the start time of the note. Its

Appendix
Release that no other MIDI messages are able to address.

An envelope parameter. The term "Release" describes "Exclusive" in this context means that these data pertain
the descent rate of an envelope to its minimum value only to one device type or model. Every device has
after a trigger is terminated. The Release phase begins unique system exclusive data. The most common appli-
immediately after the trigger is terminated, regardless of cations for SysEx data include transfer of entire memo-
the envelope's current status. For instance, the Release ries and complete control of a device via a computer.
phase may be initiated during the Attack phase.
Trigger
Resonance A trigger is a signal that activates events. Trigger signals
Resonance is an important filter parameter. It emphasi- are very diverse. For instance, a MIDI note or an audio
zes a narrow bandwidth around the filter cutoff fre- signal can be used as a trigger. The events a trigger can
quency by amplifing these frequencies. This is one of initiate are also very diverse. A common application for
the most popular methods of manipulating sounds. If a trigger is its use to start an envelope.
you substantially increase the resonance, i.e, to a level
USB
where the filter begins self-oscillation, then it will gene-
rate a relatively clean sine waveform. The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a serial bus system to
connect a computer with an external device. USB
Sustain equipped devices can be plugged together while active.
An envelope parameter. The term "Sustain" describes the The recognition is made automatically.
level of an envelope that remains constant after it has
run through the Attack and Decay phases. Sustain lasts Volume
until the trigger is terminated. The term describes a sound's output level
System Exclusive Data
System exclusive data allow access to the heart of a
MIDI device. They enable access to data and functions

Appendix
The following standards have been used to declare

EG Konformitätserklärung conformity:
Declaration of Conformity EN 55013
des Herstellers / of the manufacturer:
Waldorf Music GmbH Heppingen, 31. Juli 2013

Landskroner Str. 52
53474 Bad Neuenahr / Germany
Verantwortliche Person / Responsible person:
Stefan Stenzel
erklärt hiermit, dass das Produkt / will be hereby
declared that the following named product Stefan Stenzel, Geschäftsführer
Waldorf Pulse 2 Stefan Stenzel, Board Of Managment
Gerätetyp / Device type: Synthesizer

Gerätenummer / Device number: 4260126380301
in Übereinstimmung mit den Richtlinien,
conforms to the requirements
2004/108/EG und 2006/95/EG
in Verkehr gebracht wurde. Für die Konformitätserklä-
rung wurde nachstehende Norm angewandt:

Appendix
Am 15.12.2004 wurde die überarbeitete Richtlinie EN 61000-3-2

2004/108/EG zur Elektromagnetischen Verträglichkeit von der
Europäischen Kommission veröffentlicht (AB. L 390/2004). Sie Elektromagnetische Verträglichkeit ( EMV) – Teil 3-2: Grenz-
ersetzt die bisher geltende EMV-Richtlinie 89/336/EWG. werte – Grenzwerte für Oberschwingungsströme ( Geräte-
Eingangsstrom £ 16 A je Leiter) ( IEC 61000-3-2: 2000, modifi-
Im Zusammenhang mit dieser Überarbeitung gelten folgende ziert) Deutsche Fassung EN 61000-3-2: 2000
Übergangsfristen: Im Juli 2007 wird die bisher geltende Richtli-
nie (89/336/EWG) aufgehoben. Die Übergangsfrist zur Anwen-
dung der neuen Richtlinie (2004/108/EG) endet am 20. Juli EN 61000-3-3
2009.
Elektromagnetische Verträglichkeit ( EMV) - Teil 3-3: Grenzwer-
Normen für Audio te – Begrenzung von Spannungsänderungen, Spannungs-
EN 55013 EN 55020 EN 61000-3-2 EN 61000-3-3) schwankungen und Flicker in öffentlichen Niederspannungs-
Versorgungsnetzen für Geräte mit einem Bemessungsstrom £
16 A je Leiter, die keiner Sonderanschlussbedingung unterlie-
gen ( IEC 61000-3-3: 1994 + A1: 2001) Deutsche Fassung EN
EN 55013 61000-3-3: 1995 + Corrigendum: 1997 + A1: 2001
Ton-und Fernseh-Rundfunkempfänger und verwandte Geräte
der Unterhaltungselektronik -Funkstöreigenschaften -
Grenzwerte und Messverfahren ( IEC/ CISPR 13: 2001, modifi- Andere Normen unter
ziert
http://www.ce-zeichen.de/nsp.htm
+ A1: 2003); Deutsche Fassung EN 55013: 2001 + A1: 2003
2006/95/EG Elektrische Betriebsmittel (Niederspannungsrichtli-
nie)
EN 55020
Ton-und Fernseh-Rundfunkempfänger und verwandte Geräte
der Unterhaltungselektronik -Störfestigkeitseigenschaften -
Grenzwerte und Prüfverfahren ( IEC/ CISPR 20: 2002 + A1:
2002); Deutsche Fassung EN 55020: 2002 + A1: 2003

Appendix
FCC Information (U.S.A.) case of radio or TV interference, relocate/reorient the antenna.

If the antenna lead-in is 300 ohm ribbon lead, change the lead-
1. IMPORTANT NOTICE: DO NOT MODIFY THIS UNIT! This in to co-axial type cable. If these corrective measures do not
product, when installed as indicated in the instructions con- produce satisfactory results, please contact the local retailer
tained in this Manual, meets FCC requirements. Modifications authorized to distributed this type of product. The statements
not expressly approved by Waldorf may void your authority, above apply ONLY to products distributed in the USA.
granted by the FCC, to use this product.
2. IMPORTANT: When connecting this product to accessories
Canada
and/or another product use only high quality shielded cables. The digital section of this apparatus does not exceed the „Class
Cable/s supplied with this product MUST be used. Follow all B“ limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus set out
installation instructions. Failure to follow instructions could in the radio interference regulation of the Canadian Department
void your FCC authorization to use this product in the USA. of Communications.
3. NOTE: This product has been tested and found to comply Le present appareil numerique n’emet pas de briut radioelectri-
with the requirements listed in FCC Regulations, Part 15 for ques depassant les limites aplicables aux appareils numeriques
Class „B“ digital devices. Compliance with these requirements de la „Classe B“ prescrites dans la reglement sur le brouillage
provides a reasonable level of assurance that your use of this radioelectrique edicte par le Ministre Des Communications du
product in residential environment will not result in harmful Canada. Ceci ne s’applique qu’aux produits distribués dans
interference with other electronic devices. This equipment Canada.
generates/uses radio frequencies and, if not installed and used
according to the instructions found in the users manual, may Other Standards (Rest of World)
cause interference harmful to the operation of other electronic
devices. Compliance with FCC regulations does not guarantee This product complies with the radio frequency interference
that interference will not occur in all installations. If this prod- requirements of the Council Directive 89/336/EC.
uct is found to be the source of interference, which can be Cet appareil est conforme aux prescriptions de la directive
determinated by turning the unit „OFF“ and „ON“, please try to communautaire 89/336/EC.
eliminate the problem by using one of the following measures:
Relocate either this product or the device that is being affected Dette apparat overholder det gaeldenda EF-direktiv
by the interference. Utilize power outlets that are on branch vedrørendareadiostøj.
(Circuit breaker or fuse) circuits or install AC line filter/s. In the Diese Geräte entsprechen der EG-Richtlinie 89/336/EC.

Appendix
Product Warranty specified conditions, or repair by unauthorized persons.

The warranty covers only those malfunctions caused by
Thank you for choosing this Waldorf product. It is a material or work-manship defects that occur during
dependable device and is designed to last. However, the normal operation.
potential for defects in material or workmanship cannot
be eradicated completely. This is why we provide an
extended warranty for you. This warranty covers all
Product Support
defects in material and workmanship for a period of one If you have any questions about your Waldorf product,
year from the date of original purchase. During this feel free to contact us via one of the four options listed
time, Waldorf Music will repair or replace the product below:
without charge for materials or labor, provided the pro-
a Send us an email message. This is the most efficient
duct was first inspected and found faulty by Waldorf
and fastest way to contact us. Your questions will be
Music or an authorized service center. You must first
forwarded immediately to the resident expert and you
contact your dealer or distributor by telephone. Products
will quickly receive an answer.
that were mailed without prior agreement cannot be
exchanged or repaired free of charge. The unit must be support@waldorfmusic.de
insured and sent prepared in its original package. Please
b Send us a letter. It will take a bit longer, but it is just
include a detailed description of the defect. Products
as dependable as an email.
that were not send prepared or in the original package
will be returned unopened. Waldorf Music reserves the Waldorf Music GmbH
right to upgrade the unit with the latest technological
advances if necessary. This warranty does not cover Landskroner Str. 52
defects due to abuse, operation under other than 53474 Bad Neuenahr, Germany

Waldorf Music GmbH • Landskroner Straße 52 • D-53474 Bad Neuenahr
© 2013 Waldorf Music GmbH • All rights reserved
www.waldorfmusic.de

Analog Synthesizer: C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

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ANALOG SYNTHESIZER

Pulse 2 User Manual 2

Sound Synthesis Basics...................................................................................47

3 Pulse 2 User Manual

Pulse 2 User Manual 4

The Pulse 2 Development Team We would like to thank

w Please visit our website pulse2.waldorfmusic.de. Here

5 Pulse 2 User Manual

Control Features and Connections

Pulse 2 User Manual 6

A Stereo headphone jack 6 MIDI In jack

7 Pulse 2 User Manual

Introduction Highlighted Control Features and Parameters

This manual was written to help you become familiar Example:

w Info – Additional information on a given topic.

+ Instruction – Follow these guidelines to execute a

[ Example – Real-world examples to try out.

Pulse 2 User Manual 8

General Safety Guidelines Power Supply

9 Pulse 2 User Manual

the power off, unplug the device and consult a qua-

m Do not leave your Pulse 2 near children, mothers-

Pulse 2 User Manual 10

11 Pulse 2 User Manual

w To check the correct reception of MIDI data send

Pulse 2 User Manual 12

• Windows PC: Windows XP or newer is recom-

w Make sure to use a computer USB port as well as

13 Pulse 2 User Manual

ber, turning the dial counterclockwise or pressing the

The Pulse 2 is equipped with a Power switch 8. Flick

m Don´t forget to save an edited sound program,

Pulse 2 User Manual 14

15 Pulse 2 User Manual

Storing Sounds to 14 characters. Use the Selection dial to

Pulse 2 User Manual 16

w Use the Store function also if you want to copy

17 Pulse 2 User Manual

Modulators: The Modulators are designed to mani-

w Is the Pulse 2 your first synthesizer? Are you curi-

Pulse 2 User Manual 18

The Oscillator Section (OSC 1-3) Shape diverse

w Keep in mind: Some shapes are not available for

19 Pulse 2 User Manual

Pulse 2 User Manual 20

21 Pulse 2 User Manual

[ A pulse width of around 30% can be used for e-

Pulse 2 User Manual 22

Detune -64...+63 w Keep in mind: When Para-8 or Para-4 is selected

[ A low value of ±1 results in a slow and soft Flanger

w Keep in mind: If one of the four Unison wave-

23 Pulse 2 User Manual

w If one of the clocked LFO shapes is selected for

Shape (only LFO1) SINE / TRI / SAW / SQR / S&H

Pulse 2 User Manual 24

• C SIN creates a sine wave.

25 Pulse 2 User Manual

Rate OFF / 0...127 The Envelope Section (ENV F and ENV A)

Pulse 2 User Manual 26

• A-D loops attack and decay phases without reset-

Trigger SNG1 / SNG2/ RET 1 / RET 2 / RET 3

27 Pulse 2 User Manual

The Arpeggiator Section (ARP) Arpeggiator Display Parameter